How CDA Classes Make Language Learning Fun for Young Children
During the first few years of life, childrens' brains are developing at a rapid pace. How you interact with children and what activities you choose to teach them language will dramatically impact their long-term literacy and communication skills. Children who acquire these crucial language skills early on are less likely to experience learning difficulties and more inclined to do well in school. ProSolutions Training offers CDA classes that teach you how to improve language learning for young children.
As an early childhood educator, the Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute provided 10 tips for how teachers can best support their students' literacy development. These include: getting chatty, being a commentator, mixing it up, labeling objects, tuning into interesting activities, reading interactively, reading books multiple times, introducing objects as props, making music, and using gestures with words.
To make literacy learning fun in your classroom, here are a few activities your students might love:
What does it feel like?
For this game, your students will use their sense of touch and knowledge of certain adjectives to describe what they are touching. It can be a lot of fun and even funny if you use objects that use funny descriptors like "gooey" or "fuzzy."
- What do you need? All you need are paper bags, a blindfold and small objects. You can also use a tray or other item that can accommodate the objects.
- What do you do? You will put the objects in the bag and blindfold the student who is describing the item. You will then ask each student to tell you and the class what they are feeling with words like hard, soft, rough, smooth, and cold. Then, once each student guesses what the object is, you can remove the blindfold.
Hello? Hello? Are you there?
This game is simple, but effective in helping children practice their language skills. It also is easily scalable for a variety of age groups. Children will love it, as they are likely already used to being around phones due to the widespread use of modern smartphone technology.
- What do you need? All you need are play phones or discarded old ones to set up around your room. Pair up students and have them take turns using each phone to talk to their partner "over the phone."
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What do you do? Go over essential vocabulary words before these phone calls and encourage your students to use them during their conversations. These words could be on topics ranging anything from colors to animals to the weather.
At ProSolutions Training, we understand how crucial language development is, which is why we offer CDA classes such as "Learning Language: Birth to 36 Months," for interested professionals like you. Contact us today to learn more!
